A coalition of University of California faculty is pushing the state university system to bring back standardized testing, arguing that dropping the requirement has compromised academic rigor in college classrooms.
Over 1,400 professors across multiple campuses signed an open letter calling for the return of SAT and ACT mathematics requirements for STEM majors. They cited a sharp decline in student proficiency since UC went completely “test-blind” in 2021.
Faculty Concerns Over Preparation
Karajean Hyde, co-director of the UC Irvine Math Project, told Fox News Digital that objective measures are essential. “A student’s not just a single number or letter, but standardized testing can play an important role in ensuring one level of measuring where that bar is so that the bar doesn’t move,” she said.
Hyde emphasized that grades alone are insufficient indicators of mastery. “In the K-12 system, we’re struggling a little with what does an ‘A’ mean? Does it mean they have content mastery? Do they work hard? Does it mean they do homework? We need to understand better who are those kids that actually know their content.”
The Effect on STEM Courses
Faculty report that instructors must spend valuable university class time re-teaching basic concepts. Diagnostic testing at campuses including UC Berkeley and UC San Diego revealed significant gaps in incoming calculus students.
Neetu Arnold, a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, explained that high school grade inflation has left universities “flying blind.” Without standardized benchmarks, professors struggle to differentiate students with genuine proficiency from those benefiting from inflated GPAs.
The disparities lead to inequitable outcomes, with some STEM students entering college underprepared for advanced coursework, increasing drop-out or failure rates in critical courses.
UC Policy Background
The UC system made standardized testing optional following the pandemic in 2020. The policy became permanent after a 2019 lawsuit settlement filed on behalf of low-income students of color and students with disabilities, which argued that the SAT and ACT were inherently biased.
Faculty signatories argue that the absence of testing has not increased equity but instead masked real academic deficiencies. Hyde noted that tests can help identify talent in underserved communities, referencing successful SAT prep programs in Southern California.
The Broader Trend
Hyde highlighted that prestigious institutions like Dartmouth, Yale, Brown, and Princeton have reversed test-optional policies in recent years, citing internal data showing standardized scores remain a strong predictor of college success.
“Standardized tests — they can play a great role in ensuring more equitable access for students to reach that bar,” Hyde said. “Foundational standards must be raised starting in kindergarten. The bar should not be lowered for STEM students entering the university system.”
University of California professors are advocating for the reinstatement of SAT and ACT requirements in STEM majors to restore academic standards and provide objective evaluation metrics. They argue that test-blind admissions have left instructors overburdened with remedial instruction, ultimately affecting both student outcomes and classroom rigor.
